First, you cannot find any Saints paraphernalia, even after a week of the Saints winning the NFC Championship game. I looked at Academy, Sports Authority, Dick's, Foot Locker, etc., and NOTHING! I was told they only carry the local teams. Well, the local team is sitting at home.
Second, people assume you are a bandwagon fan. I have suffered through many, many years-the bad and the ugly. I remember the Aints, the paper bags, the almost wins-year, after year, after year. I remember when they won the first division championship (that pennant hung in my room) and lost to the Vikings in the playoffs. That was the big year of the Benson Boogie (that was recorded on a VHS on tv and a tape from the radio at home); the big year of the Dome Patrol (that poster hung in my room). For those who don't know or don't remember: The Benson Boogie was the owner, Tom Benson, dancing with a black and gold umbrella on the field at the end of every victory. The Dome Patrol was the 4 defensive frontmen including Sam Mills (RIP), Pat Swilling, Rickey Jackson (Congrats to the NFL Hall of Fame), and Vaughn Johnson---a very feared unit of men.
I used to go to the games. I was at the game when the Super Dome caught on fire. Yes, caught on fire in the middle of a game!!! During halftime, fireworks were used. Then during the first 3rd quarter drive, the Saints drove down to kick a field goal. Immediatly prior to Morton Anderson kicking the 3 points, a piece of the Dome came falling down from the top, flames attached!!!
I know Buddy D, the beloved radio/talk show host, is having the time of his life from inside the pearly gates. He never was afraid to call out Tom Benson for not spending enough money on coaches, players, etc. He must be having a ball seeing what has transpired over this Saints season. FYI---My brother went to his show once and was actually on it, asking a question for a player to answer.
I hear the state is uniting young and old. Everyone is sporting Saints gear, even nuns and churches! There are black and gold king cakes, Buddy D parades, state holidays proposed. Those outside of the state do not understand what this means to the people in and from Louisiana. It's more than a football game! Katrina explains it all. Katrina devestated the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. The Super Dome was turned into a morgue. Death was everywhere---literally. No one knew why people would return to that area, but they did. The Saints did. The Super Dome and the Gulf Coast was immediately rebuilt. And this rebuilt the state of Louisiana. If you aren't from there, you don't understand.
I miss blending in with the crowd of Who Dat....no one cared about that saying until 2 weeks ago. The NFL all of a sudden like to say they coined that phrase. SO UNTRUE! The substitution of d for t is a dialectical speech issue, not a coined phrase. Back in 1983, Aaron Neville, a few Saints players, and a WWL sports broadcaster made a video about Who Dat. There was not one NFL connection to that video. If the NFL would visit the depths of Louisiana, they would realize that people truly speak that way, and the fans coined that phrase!
Although I will be watching the game with family from LA, I sure wish I were truly there. If the Saints win, I am not sure what I will do. Cry-yes, Sleep-no, Pee in my pants-probably! Go to work on Monday-unfortunately, yes. Give me more and more reason to move back HOME---without a doubt!
WHO DAT, WHO DAT SAY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS, WHO DAT!
Love it, Mandy. Very well written! Who Dat!
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